Thursday, August 29, 2013

Western Wonder Recipes: #2. Stuffed Pork Fillet with Apple and Cheese

 

 Ingredients
  • 1 pork fillet
  • 1/4 red apple, peeled, cored and diced  (Amount of apple is adjustable, depending on the size of your pork fillet)
  • 2 slices cheese (i.e. Cheddar, Gruyere, Edam, Gouda)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • Cooking oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional side dish: Freshly baked cheese croissant and mayonnaise.
How to cook

  • Cut the pork fillet length-ways, Cutting nearly to the opposite side but not all the way through. Open it so it forms two flaps, attached at the center.

  
  • Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
  • Stuff pork fillet with the diced apple and cheese.


  
  • Use toothpicks to close opening.
  
  • Coat with flour, dip in egg and roll in the bread crumbs.
   
  


  • Heat 1/2-inch of cooking oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat.



  • Add pork and fry for 10 minutes, turning frequently until cooked through and golden browned on all sides. Drain well.

  

 


  • Remove toothpicks before serving.  


Best served with freshly baked cheese croissant and mayonnaise!


Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Western Wonder Recipes: #1. Baked Eggplant with Mozzarella Cheese

(Total Cooking Time: Approx. 1 Hour)


Ingredients:
  • For the Eggplants:
    • 2 eggplants
    • salt
    • corn flour
    • olive oil for frying
    • 8 ounces of fresh Mozzarella cheese
  • For the Tomato Sauce:
    • 300 grams of ground pork
    • 1 onion
    • 1 cup of chopped or sliced red tomatoes
    • 2 tea-spoons of salt
    • 2 tea-spoons of ground black pepper
    • 1 table-spoon of dried oregano leaves
    • 2 tea-spoons  of olive oil
    • 1 cup of tomato paste
  • For the White Sauce Ingredients:
    • 3 table-spoons of salted butter
    • 3 table-spoons of corn flour
    • 1 cup of milk
    • 2 tea-spoons of salt
    • 2 tea-spoons of ground black pepper
    • 1 tea-spoon of nutmeg

How to cook:
  • Eggplants:
    • Wash the eggplants thoroughly and cut them into half-an-inch thick slices without peeling them.
    • Place the eggplants in cold water with salt, and rinse them quickly.
    • Dry the eggplant slices, and cover them with flour or dip them in beaten eggs (optional)
    • Deep fry the slices in olive oil until they are golden brown.
    • Place the eggplant slices on paper towels, in order for the excess oil to be absorbed
    • Sprinkle some salt over the slices and let them rest for a while.
  • Tomato Sauce:
    • Heat the pan on medium-high heat before adding the olive oil. Heat the olive oil and fry the onion until they caramelize.
    • Add ground pork and stir until the pork is well done.
    • Add chopped tomatoes and tomato past and stir well.
    • Add salt, ground black pepper, and oregano.
    • Cook until the sauce starts to thicken.
    • Remove from heat, and then start with the white sauce.
  • White Sauce:
    • Warm the milk in a pan, but do not let it boil. Remove from heat.
    • Melt 3 table-spoons of the butter in the pan on low-heat.
    • Add 3 table-spoons of corn flour. Stir constantly until it thickens.
    • Add warm milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir constantly until the sauce becomes thick and creamy. Remove from heat.
    • Mix the tomato sauce and white sauce together and add salt and pepper up to your personal taste.
  • Last steps before baking:
    • Place the fried eggplant slices in a bowl and spinkle them with salt.
    • Spread tomato sauce and white sauce over the eggplants, and top them of with the Mozzarella.
    • Add more layers as above.
    • Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
This is what your bowl should look like now:

  • Put in the oven  at 180 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes or until your cheese turns golden brown.


Serve your Rich & Thick Baked Eggplant with Cheese as soon as ready! 

 HAVE A NICE MEAL!!!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Easy Asian Recipes: #4.Thai Spicy Fried Egg Salad




For the Veggie Lovers!

(Total Cooking Time: Approx. 30 Minutes)




Ingredients
  • 3 Large eggs
  • 100g cooked ground pork
  • 50g finely chopped parsley or spring onion (optional)
  • 1 onion (Cut into thin slices)
  • 2 medium size tomatoes (Cut into thin slices)
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch-wide strips
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped red chilies
  • 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons of lime juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 5 lettuce leaves
  • ½ cup of vegetable oil

How to cook

  • Heat up ½ cup of vegetable oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
  • Gently crack eggs into the hot oil.
  • Wait until the bottoms of eggs are golden brown and starting to get crispy.
  • Flip the eggs over to crisp up the tops (this makes it easier to slice).
  • Place the fried eggs on a chopping board, and cut them into 1 inch square pieces.
  • Mix the chilies, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice in a mixing bowl. Taste the dressing.and adjust the flavors as necessary.
  • Add fried eggs, cooked ground pork, onion, tomato, sliced cucumber in a mixing bowl, and mix all ingredients well.
  • Put the fried egg salad together by placing the lettuce leaves on a plate.
  • Decorate the top with parsley leaves.

Best served right away!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Easy Asian Recipes: #3. Thai Stir-Fried Minced Beef with Basil Leaves (Non-Spicy Version)

Ingredients 

  • 250 g. minced beef
  • 2 cups of basil leaves 
  • 3 cloves of minced garlic 
  • 1 tablespoon of fish sauce (or salt)                                     
  • 3 tablespoons Cooking oil

* Optional side dish: Fried egg & Steamed rice 
   

How to cook
  • Peel and crush the garlic or chop it finely 
  • Wash basil leaves and set aside
  • Heat a pan or wok on a high heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
  • Add garlic and stir until light golden brown

  • Add the minced beef, and keep stirring until browned
  • Add fish sauce, stir for 1 minute, taste the food, if not flavorful enough, add some more sauce.
  • Add about half of the basil leaves. Let everything simmer for 2 minutes longer, stirring often. 
  • Remove from heat, place on a serving plate and set aside. 

  • Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan over medium-high. Add the other half of the basil leaves to the hot oil and quickly stir them around until they stop bubbling and are crispy. Then turn off the heat.
  • Place the crispy basil leaves on top of the Stir-Fried Minced Beef with Basil Leaves as garnish. 



Best served with fried egg and steamed rice!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Easy Asian Recipes: #2. Stir-Fried Glass Noodles With Pork Balls

Ingredients



  • 100 g. of dry glass noodles (Bean Vermicelli) 
  • 200 g. of pork balls (cut in 1 inch pieces) - Note: In place of pork balls, you can also used meatball made from finely minced pork or beef. 
  • 50 g. of shredded spring onions 
  • 100 g. of shredded cabbage 
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce 
  • 1 tbsp. fish sauce 
  • 2 tbsp. cooking oil 
  • 1 egg

How to cook



  • Soak the dry glass noodles in water for about 10 minutes until soft.
  • Drain noodles well and set aside.
  • At medium-heat, add cooking oil to a pan, followed by egg, stir until golden.
  • Add pork balls, followed by shredded cabbage and spring onions.

  • Add the glass noodles; followed by all the sauces, keep stirring for noodles to cook.

  • Add some water, if the noodle is under cooked or get too dry.
  • Taste the food, if not flavorful enough, add some more sauces.
  • Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes more, until well mixed. 

Serve hot!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Easy Asian Recipes: #1. Omu-Rice (Japanese Omelet Rice)

Easy High-Fiber Meal!

(Brown Rice is a great source of fiber, B vitamins, manganese, selenium and iron)   

Ingredients

  • For Ham fried rice:
    • 1 cup of ham, diced
    • 1 tbsp. fish sauce (or salt)
    • 1 egg
    • 1/2 cup of chopped onions
    • 2 cups of steamed brown rice
    • 1 tbsp. ketchup for garnish
    • 1 tbsp. cooking oil
  • For the omelet:
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 tbsp. milk
    • 1 tbsp. fish sauce (or salt)
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 tbsp. cooking oil

How to cook
  • Make ham fried rice: 
    • Heat the cooking oil in a large frying pan at medium- heat.           
    • Add the diced onion and sauté until soft. 
    • Add ham and egg; continue cooking until they are cooked through.
    • Add the cooked rice to the pan and mix everything together, adding fish sauce or salt. 
    • Stir fry the ingredients for about 2 minutes, until the rice has dried out slightly. 
    • Then turn off the heat. Set ham fried rice aside.

  • Make the omelets: 
    • Beat 2 of the eggs together in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the milk, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce or a pinch of salt and pepper.  
    • Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then pour the egg mixture into the heated pan and tilt the pan to spread the egg mixture thinly across the pan. 
    • Fry the omelet until the edges have set. 

    • Add the ham fried rice filling in the middle of the omelet. 
    • Gently lift one edge of the omelet.  Fold one side of the egg over the filling.
    • Repeat with the other side. 
    • Fry until the egg is golden brown. 
    • Flip omelet onto a serving plate. Garnish omelet with additional ketchup such as a smiley face. 

Ready to serve!